The latest natural disaster proves that Pakistan is in the grip of a climate catastrophe, as torrential monsoon rains and flash floods leave devastation in their wake, a leading international education charity, based in the UK, is warning. READ Foundation says this is just one of more than 20 climate-related disasters to hit the country in the past three years, a stark reminder that the climate crisis is, above all, a children’s crisis.
READ Foundation UK has launched an emergency campaign to raise funds to protect and rebuild education for children in the aftermath of the floods. With almost 30 years of experience supporting education in Pakistan, the organisation warns that decades of progress are now under threat as schools are damaged and futures put at risk. Already, four READ Foundation schools have been damaged by the floods, directly disrupting the education of hundreds of children.
Since late June, more than 711 people have been killed, with nearly 1,000 injured and hundreds still missing. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province alone, sudden cloudbursts and flash floods have claimed over 320 lives, while at least 414 government schools have been damaged, leaving thousands of children at risk of having no safe spaces to learn.
“These floods are not an isolated disaster. They are part of a growing pattern of climate-driven crises that threaten children’s futures across the globe,” said Javeria Hashmi, Deputy CEO at READ Foundation UK. “When schools are damaged, education stops, but it is education that gives children stability, safety, and hope. We cannot allow the climate crisis to wash away a generation’s right to learn. We cannot wait until 2030 to act. Governments must drastically cut carbon emissions now, invest in climate-resilient education systems, and prioritise climate finance for the most vulnerable countries. Right now, it is children who are paying the price for a crisis they did not cause.”
READ Foundation UK has worked in Pakistan for nearly three decades, responding to both immediate and long-term education needs. During the 2022 floods, which affected 33 million people, the organisation repaired schools, established temporary learning centres, and delivered emergency support. Teams are now carrying out assessments on the latest disaster, ready to act quickly once again. In addition to supporting education, READ is also providing food and non-food item (NFI) distributions to flood-affected families, ensuring children and communities have the essentials they need to survive and recover.
Through its new Pakistan Emergency Education Fund, READ aims to:
- Repair flood-damaged schools so children can return to safe classrooms.
- Provide emergency education support to children who have lost everything.
- Establish temporary learning spaces in areas where schools cannot reopen quickly.
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